This Blog is dedicated to the middle of the pack triathlete who is passionate about our sport and believes it is the best lifestyle you can choose.

November 2014

11/27/2014

I love to read. Always have and hopefully always will. I even have goals around how many books to read in a year. For 2015 my goal is unique - I am going to Re-read 50 books next year. I have so many incredble books that have influenced me over the years so next year I am going to revisit them.

Now, with my training and working and family time, it can be difficult to do more than that and I am always trying to expand my knowledge. So what I have done to adapt is get a subscription to audible.com and listen to books while I run. I often go out for 90 minutes to two plus hour runs so this is a great time to be alone, listen, learn and calm my mind. I understand people who don't listen to anything while they run but that is definitely not for me.

I also have been listening to podcasts at times and really enjoy that. I subsribe to four podcasts, Babbitville Radio, Tim Ferris, SOFREP and BulletProof Executive. This is another way to go deeper on subjects that I care about and since they are free I can pick and choose which ones I listen to. I have really have been getting into SOFREP so if you have interest in the SEAL community and other things military, this is a good one.

Let me know what you have been listening to while you workout, I always am open to expanding my "library". Happy training and Happy Thanksgiving!

11/22/2014

Yes, audacity I say. Who in their right mind attempts to do an Ironman Triathlon? 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 mile bike ride and then run a 26.2 marathon in one day all for some $5 medal. That is crazy as I am often told. Well, I think for me that is one reason that I love it so much - You have to dream big, be audacious and at times a little crazy.

Above are my Ironman medals, minus my last two for a total of 12 finishes. At every Ironman race I think about a quote from Teddy Roosevelt that goes like this:

“It is not the critic who counts; nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spend himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.”

I love the feeling of "being in the arena", of walking to the start of an Ironman race, surrounded by my fellow competitors. This is something I can think back to and remember every one of the races where I toed the starting line. The excitement, the nervousness, and the AUDACITY of even attempting this event is what I love.

I think when I lose that feeling it will be time for me to quit but for now, the audacity is what drives me. Only 10 months until that next "DAY", I am off to ride my bike this morning.